Who to watch: Senior forward Marcus Lee is home after three seasons at Kentucky. The 6-foot-9 native of Antioch will pair with returning center Kingsley Okoroh to give the Bears size and experience inside. Junior guard Don Coleman, who scored a career-high 26 points in last season’s final game, is an aggressive, high-energy player.

What will happen: The inexperienced Bears were picked 11th in the Pac-12 media poll and their chances of exceeding that projection may depend on how well they execute Jones’ plan for a full-court pressing defense.

Season opener: Friday vs. UC Riverside at Haas Pavilion, 9 p.m.

For complete schedule, go to www.calbears.com

STANFORD CARDINAL

Coach: Jerod Haase (14-17 in 2nd season at Stanford; 94-70 in 6th season overall)

2016-17: 14-17, 6-12/tied 9th in Pac-12

What has changed: The expectations. Stanford’s players and coaches are counting on an NCAA tournament bid after nine losses in their final 12 games a year ago. Most of the personnel returns, but freshmen point guards Daejon Davis and Isaac White should have impact.

Who to watch: Reid Travis got a medical hardship waiver after missing most of the 2015-16 season, so he returns as a junior. He found his groove late in last season, averaging 19.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and shooting 62 percent over the final nine games.

What will happen: Stanford should score near the top of the nation in strength-of-schedule with at least eight games vs. preseason Top-25 teams on its schedule by the end of January, including non-conference games against North Carolina, Florida, Kansas — and possibly No. 1 Duke.

Season opener: Friday vs. Cal Poly at Maples Pavilion, 4 p.m.

For complete schedule, go to www.gostanford.com

SAINT MARY’S GAELS

Coach: Randy Bennett (362-156 in 17th season)

2016-17: 29-5, 16-2/2nd in West Coast Conference (NCAA tournament)

What has changed: The No. 22 Gaels were picked first in the WCC coach poll, the first time since 2001 the nod did not go to Gonzaga. “I wish it meant something,’’ said all-WCC forward Calvin Hermanson. “In our eyes, Gonzaga is still the team to beat.” The Gaels lost their two top defenders, guard Joe Rahon and forward Dane Pineau, but picked up graduate transfer guard Cullen Neal of Ole Miss.

Who to watch: Senior center Jock Landale (16.9 points, 9.5 rebounds) was pegged as the nation’s 10th-best player by Sports Illustrated. Hermanson (13.1 points) is a versatile scorer, and point guard Emmett Naar enters his senior season needing 231 assists to break Matthew Dellavedova’s school record of 731.

What will happen: One of the nation’s most efficient offensive teams, the Gaels will fight it out for WCC supremacy with Gonzaga, as usual. A seventh NCAA bid in 14 years is the minimum goal.

Season opener: Saturday vs. Saint Francis at McKeon Pavilion, 5 p.m.

For complete schedule, go to www.smcgaels.com

SANTA CLARA BRONCOS

Coach: Herb Sendek (17-16 in 2nd season at SCU; 430-311 in 24th season overall)

2016-17: 17-16, 10-8/tied 4th in West Coast Conference

What has changed: The Broncos move forward without Jared Brownridge, the school’s No. 2 all-time scorer (2,313 points). But they picked up a valuable asset in Bay Area native Henry Caruso, a graduate transfer from Princeton, where he averaged 15 points as a junior before an injury cut short his 2016-17 campaign.

Who to watch: Guard K.J. Feagin (14.9 points, 4.4 assists) missed 14 games last season due to injury but converted 49 percent of his 3-point tries in the other 19 games. Feagin will pair in the backcourt with fellow junior Matt Hauser (10.3 points, 5.2 assists).

What will happen: With the arrival of a four-man freshman class, Sendek has more pieces than a year ago, when the Broncos won three more games than the season before. Expect a little more still.

Season opener: Friday vs. La Verne at the Leavey Center, 7 p.m.

For complete schedule, go to www.santaclarabroncos.com

SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS

Coach: Jean Prioleau (1st season)

2016-17: 14-16, 7-11/tied 8th in Mountain West Conference

What has changed: A whole bunch. Coach Dave Wojcik for resigned for personal reasons after getting SJSU closer to .500 than it’s been since 2011. Then star forward Brandon Clarke (17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds) transferred to Gonzaga. So, another SJSU reboot.

Who to watch: The Spartans hired Colorado assistant Jean Prioleau to run the program and he inherits forward Ryan Welage (13.2 points) and redshirt freshman forward Keith Fisher III, a former L.A. City Player of the Year, who had 16 points in the team’s second exhibition.

What will happen: The Spartans have had one winning season since 1994, and they were projected to finish 10th in the 11-team MWC this season. Prioleau, who used 12 players in each of two exhibition games, will try to whittle his rotation down to something that can generate success.

Season opener: Friday vs. Antelope Valley at the Event Center, 7 p.m.

For complete schedule, go to www.sjsuspartans.com

SAN FRANCISCO DONS

Coach: Kyle Smith (20-13 in 2nd season at USF; 121-95 in 8th season overall )

2016-17: 20-13, 10-8/tied 4th in West Coast Conference

What has changed: The Dons won’t sneak up on anyone this season. Last year, after being picked ninth in the WCC, USF tied for fourth and won 20 games in Smith’s debut season. Only leading scorer Ronnie Boyce is gone among the roster’s top 10 point producers.

Who to watch: Everyone. The Dons excelled last season because of depth, defense and a school-record 299 3-pointers. Smith might even go deeper to his bench with the arrival of four newcomers, including 6-9 Estonian forward Taavi Jurkatamm and guard Jamaree Bouyea.

What will happen: USF should be as good or better than a year ago, but the climb near the top of the WCC becomes very steep. Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and BYU have held down the top three spots the past three seasons, and that will be tough to change.

Season opener: Friday vs. Long Beach State at War Memorial Gym, 8 p.m.

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